Chapter 1
It's the middle of winter in mid January as new couple just moved into a single bedroom apartment in downtown New York. It was quite expensive to live in the city, but that is no problem for 19 year old Julia and 20 year old Russell. It has only been a few hours until after they finished for them to take a walk to see what Times Square has in store for them. But what waits for them in the apartment might cause a stir in their stay. As they were just leaving the apartment complex and descending the stairs, Julia got some crazy idea to go partying at 1 in the morning.
- Jules, what's that?
- That spot in the corner? Probably just dust gathering from the last tenants, people can be so filthy sometimes.
- It looks pretty dark to be just dust.
- Oh well, we'll check it out later, want to go check out the club?
- I don't know, remember how you got last time? You were all over the floor dancing like a damn monkey!
- Oh, come on! You know I love my 80's retro music dance mixes. It gets me in my zone and I can't stop!
Russell smiles as he slowly caresses her cold soft cheek.
- Alright, but we have to get back in 3 hours, I have to work in the morning if you forgot.
- Yeah! Thanks baby.
She gives him a delicate kiss on his lips and they walk down the sidewalk arm in arm shivering. They come up to the club. Platinum Rainbow, sounds like a techno club but you may be surprised. It's just a typical dancing club. Since they're underage, they really don't have much of a decision to choose from. They take their jackets off and exit the lobby, into the dance room. Music blasting as kids was drinking fruit punch, grape juice, you name it.
- You know we still have a bit of organizing to do. Still have to put the clothes away and finish setting up Amadeus' cage. Amadeus is their pet Cockatiel.
- Russie baby, don't worry. I promise you we will be back soon, let's just have a couple hours of fun before then okay?
So they started dancing, drinking their weird concoctions like root beer and orange soda. Meanwhile at the apartment, what they thought was gathered dust was starting to expand. Almost like a paper towel absorbing a coffee spill. No idea what it could be, but pretty soon it will be causing major problems. Before they came back, the dark area became more shaped like a child's body.
Julia opens the apartment complex door and starts going up the stairs slowly.
- See? It was just all in a night's fun, nothing bad happened at all!
- I just have to wake up from this dream and I bet all of this will disappear.
SLAM! A sudden drop that came from their apartment floor.
- What the hell was that Russ? Think it was Amadeus trying to get out?
Whatever it was, no one else noticed. No one even came out to look to find what it was. It's like only they heard it.
- Let's go check it out, Gotta feed the bird anyway.
He took her hand as he unlocks the apartment door and tried to turn on the living room light. Nothing. They were feeling trapped inside an apartment with no light He peeks through before opening the door completely and slowly walks in. Julia calls for Amadeus as Russ looks around for something that could have made that noise. Glad Julia wasn't around because what he finds will devastate her. A small object lies on the floor motionless with a thin red blanket of blood draped over it. It was Amadeus. He quickly covers him up with a towel and put him in a box emptied out during the move.
With whatever light coming from the city illuminating the apartment, Julia grabs a flashlight hanging in the kitchen and turns it on. It works! She points it to Russ as he's closing the box.
- What are you doing over there? Is that another box to empty out? Give it here I'll help you while you get cleaned up.
- N-n-n-no it's ok I'm going to just take it out to the dumpster
-Honey, what's wrong? You look like you had your whole life drained out of you.
- I can't lie to you. I have to tell you what just happened. As I was over by the window over there, I looked down and saw something. Took me awhile to build up the courage to see what it is because I had a feeling I knew what it was. I crouched down and saw more clearer. And I hate to do this but look.
He pulls back the box flaps and she turns the flashlight to light up the inside of the box. There he is, dead and slowly losing feathers.
-Wha---No! Why! How the hell did this happen? Was that the noise?
- I don't know, I'm so sorry Jules.
- You did this! You never cared about him! You never fed him!
- Hey! This didn't happen because of some goddamn lack of food or water, this was far worse than that and you know it. Look at his back! It's cut open and you say it's my fault?!
Then all of a sudden the child like shadow came creeping out from the corner. With piercing white eyes he stares at the bird and points.
- You did this? You son of a bitch, how the hell did you get in here? And why the hell would you want to kill a bird!?
Julie is scared stiff. She mutters something but it's too difficult to comprehend what it is. Russ tries to grab the boy but he disappears. Like a sudden lightning flash, gone in a second. Then he reappears by the entrance door laughing while holding the dead bird up in the air. Dangling like a pair of shoes.
- Julie! Get him!
She blinks and shakes her head not knowing what she's just experiencing. She runs to the door and vanishes again. This time he's back to the corner where they first saw him. Julie grabs the phone from the table and tries to call for 911, but never realized the cable was cut off. So she grabs the door knob and turns it frantically.
- I can't get it open!
Russel then looks to the window and runs for it. He tries to slide up the window but no luck. Doing all he can to open it he gave up. Until he thought of a more manly approach which could add to his rent obviously. He took a bat and smashed the window.
- HEEEEELLLLP!! ANYONE!
No one answered and no one was around. It was like they were the only living humans out there.
The child laughs at Russ's frustration until he sees Julie crying.
- Mommy!
Russell couldn't believe what just happened. But apparently there are more secrets within the apartment than they expected. Maybe more than they know.
